Research

In recent years, the use of terrestrial laser scanners (TLS) and airborne laser scanning (ALS) to characterize forests has made considerable progress and can be used both to record individual trees and thus biomass and carbon stocks and to monitor changes (growth, turnover). In evergreen tropical forests, such evaluations face the challenge that it is not possible to measure in a leafless state, which limits the view of trunks and branches and thus makes it difficult to calculate trunk sizes. In 2024, LIDAR surveys were carried out in La Gamba, Costa Rica, in primary, secondary forests and reforestation areas with planted trees using modern TLS and ALS systems. These data are to be analyzed as part of the project. First, individual TLS scans must be linked and the trees segmented, then these results will be checked with direct measurements of the trees on site and, as far as possible, the allometric model used for biomass calculation will be improved.

Impacts of climate change on alpine vegetation are already emerging, especially the accelerating accumulation of colonisers from lower elevations on mountain summits. The underlying upward movement of the alpine flora seems to be in line with modelling studies that predict major habitat loss and widespread local to regional extinction of high-elevation species under climate warming. However, in the few cases where sufficient data allowed for quantifying the magnitude of upward shifts observed so far these shifts appeared much weaker than the warming assumed to drive them. One possible explanation is a pronounced inertia in distribution patterns resulting in the accumulation of a so-called extinction debt. An alternative explanation is the pronounced ruggedness and associated variation of micro-climates of the high-mountain terrain which might efficiently buffer species against climate warming. Other than spatial distributions, vital rates of plants will likely respond rapidly to a changing climate. Modelling the spatial distribution and temporal change of population growth rates (Demographic dispersal modelling DDM) is hence an alternative to conventional distribution modelling (SDM) which is less affected by potential disequilibria of species and environmental conditions. In the proposed project we aim to expand the dataset collected within the previous project MICROCLIM in order to fit and project both SDMs and DDMs across the alpine and nival landscape of the central part of the Tyrolean Alps. Model projections will be evaluated against GLORIA long-term monitoring data. Based on these model projections we aim to tackle the following questions: (1) How much of their currently suitable area will alpine plants lose under climate change until the end of the century according to SDMs fitted and projected on a 1m resolution? (2) Are these predicted losses significantly lower than those forecasted by models fit and projected at coarser spatial resolutions? (3) Do DDMs predict more pronounced losses than SDMs because they are better capable of de-tecting a likely current disequilibrium between climate and species distribution? (4) Do differences between SDM and DDM projections depend on species traits? (5) Where, within the study area, do both SDMs and DDMs predict major refugia of the high-mountain flora in warmer world?

The loss of biodiversity has a negative impact at all levels - taxonomic diversity, genetic diversity - which has a holistic effect on the functionality of ecosystems. To counteract this trend, botanical gardens are successfully implementing in situ conservation measures and ex situ conservation measures. In this project, the botanical gardens of the University of Innsbruck, the Carinthian State Museum, the Paris Lodron University of Salzburg, the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna and the University of Vienna are implementing measures to protect endangered plant species. After selecting the target species on the basis of depulsa's endangerment criteria (RL category: Critically Endangered CR, Endangered EN, Vulnerable VU and Early Warning NT) and selecting target areas for reintroduction, the seeds of the target species are collected in accordance with ENSCONET guidelines. Reintroduction will take place after one to two years by sowing or planting young plants. Monitoring of the areas will continue beyond the project period in order to document their long-term establishment. The project team is also applying for additional funding for the Botanic Gardens' permanent staff for horticultural consumables, external support staff for seed collection and planting, as well as travel expenses for seed collection, site preparation and planting. To exchange experiences and strengthen synergies, the project team meets at the Botanical Garden Innsbruck at the beginning of the project and at the Botanical Garden of the University of Vienna at the end of the project. The information gained on cultivation requirements and reintroduction successes is entered into the publicly accessible database of the Association of Botanic Gardens' Conservation Cultures Working Group. The transfer of knowledge will be coordinated centrally and will form part of the public relations work via the project team's established channels (guided tours, exhibitions, social media). The project team has a wealth of experience that it can draw on for the successful realization of the project.